This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
Tour Itinerary
- 9:00 Meet at Hotel 9:15 Imperial Palace East Gardens 10:00 Chidorigafuchi 11:15 Tsukiji Outer Market 12:30 Meiji Shrine 13:30 Harajuku・Takeshita Street 14:30 Shibuya 15:00 Disband on-site
Title: What's a Private Tsukiji and Tokyo Walking Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from Oceania. They were very talkative and asked a wide range of questions throughout the tour. Many of their questions were about Japanese politics, and they also spoke several times about the era when the Japanese economy was strong. They seemed to feel a sense of familiarity with Japan, having once had a connection to a Japanese company. One of the guests carried a large video camera and kept filming throughout the day. The guests recorded narrations of the various sights facing the camera, saying they were making a family movie. At the Tsukiji Outer Market, they eagerly bought and tried anything that caught their interest. They were extremely interested in everything about Japan, and while I cannot be sure how fully satisfied they were, I did my best to answer and explain their questions.
Click here for more details: Tokyo Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Hanzomon～Tsukiji | 178JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Tsukiji～Meiji-jingumae | 209JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Harajuku～Shibuya | 146JPY |
| Total | 533JPY | ||
Before I started the guiding job in 2022, I had worked for private companies and been engaged in overseas business, which led me to be stationed in various English-speaking countries. Taking advantage of such experiences and also wishing to reciprocate the kindness extended to me during my career, I have decided to help visitors to Japan enjoy their stay and obtained a national guide license.
I am very honored and pleased to assist guests from overseas and enjoy seeing them having a great time visiting interesting spots in Japan and learning about the country. I look forward to serving more new guests and seeing them smile at the end of my private tours.
Jun 8, 2025
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Tokyo tour
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Great tour, Shinji was great, they…
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Great tour, Shinji was great, they are flexible throughout the day. The transportation was
nice and clean and more than enough room for our family of 7.
Feb 28, 2025
LaToya_S
Mr. Shinji is so nice and…
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Mr. Shinji is so nice and…
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Mr. Shinji is so nice and patient. The tour was incredible and a great cultural experience. The
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Edward_M
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Our tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly! What a memorable day. This tour was the
perfect way to get oriented to the city.
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Tripadvisor review: Hakone 6 hour Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
For those not wanting to read my entire post, let me say if you are going to Hakone, consider hiring Shinji. He is marvelous!
We went to Hakone, a notable spa town and a popular tourist destination due to its many hot springs being within view of nearby Mount Fuji, the most visited mountain in Japan. With our guide Shinji we visited the Hakone open air Museum, Hakone Shrine, Lake Ashi, Hakone, Japan, and took the Lake Ashi Cruise. Shinji’s knowledge about the sites, trains, cable cars, cruise, history, culture and languages (Japanese and English) made for a most efficient and memorable experience. Lastly, Shinji was very patient, as our getting to Hakone took more time than we expected, and adaptable, as we made the necessary adjustments to visit every relevant site we had hoped for. Great trip with a great guide!